Stock Air Cleaner or upgrade to SE or Arlen Ness?

[GliderDoug]

I have a new (stock) FLHTC and my wife has an almost new Heritage (SE A/C, V&H Bigshots and HD download). I will be changing pipes on the FL and probably going with a Techlusion TFI on both since I have had good luck with them in the past
My question to the experts here is: What does the H-D SE or Arlen Ness A/C kits do other than give me a freer flowing air filter and open things up around the filter? I know the backing plate gets replaced but is this just to support the chrome cover and banjo bolts? If it just opens things up can I modify (drill some 1" holes) in the black piece between the backing plate and the chrome cover to provide more air flow?
The easy answer would be for me to take them both apart but it has been so (EDIT) cold in Alberta for the last month I can't do anything in my garage!
All help is much appreciated.

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[glider]

Some backing plates give you a different head venting system. The ness has a bit smaller port than the SE unit which can restrict venting a bit.
I have seen stock backing drilled like you mentioned but remember that the holes you are drilling will pull in the heated air from near the cylinders as opposed from a cooler area with the replacement stage1 units.

 

[Bud White]

I have a new (stock) FLHTC and my wife has an almost new Heritage (SE A/C, V&H Bigshots and HD download). I will be changing pipes on the FL and probably going with a Techlusion TFI on both since I have had good luck with them in the past
My question to the experts here is: What does the H-D SE or Arlen Ness A/C kits do other than give me a freer flowing air filter and open things up around the filter? I know the backing plate gets replaced but is this just to support the chrome cover and banjo bolts? If it just opens things up can I modify (drill some 1" holes) in the black piece between the backing plate and the chrome cover to provide more air flow?
The easy answer would be for me to take them both apart but it has been so !#&?@ cold in Alberta for the last month I can't do anything in my garage!
All help is much appreciated.

It give more flow and also a bigger filter area instead of the pancake filter.I have seen where guys have drilled hold in the stock backing plate 3-4 of them on the bottom while it will flow more air it wont be like a stage 1 kit

 

[GliderDoug]

Thanks Bud.
I will be taking the air cleaners apart on both bikes to see what I can learn once it warms up but I was just wondering if the idea of drilling a few holes to allow more air to get to the K&N filter I plan to put on would accomplish something close to a new air cleaner kit. I read that the Stage 1 air cleaner kits do very little until you get to the 4500 - 5000 RPM range anyway and a higher flowing air filter was about all you need. I do very little cruising at that range anyway.

Along with the air filter or kit I will be doing pipes and a fuel manager to get to Stage 1 but I have no intentions of going further.

 

[Bud White]

Thanks Bud.
I will be taking the air cleaners apart on both bikes to see what I can learn once it warms up but I was just wondering if the idea of drilling a few holes to allow more air to get to the K&N filter I plan to put on would accomplish something close to a new air cleaner kit. I read that the Stage 1 air cleaner kits do very little until you get to the 4500 - 5000 RPM range anyway and a higher flowing air filter was about all you need. I do very little cruising at that range anyway.

Along with the air filter or kit I will be doing pipes and a fuel manager to get to Stage 1 but I have no intentions of going further.

Go with the TFI for the Fuel manager Easy to install and set .. one thing i will say is don't put it under the seat as they say because to fine tune it ya have to pull the seat .. i put mine right next to the fuse box so all i have to do is pull of the side cover tweak and go .. Just my .02 :newsmile034:

 

[wildspirit97]

Thanks Bud.
I will be taking the air cleaners apart on both bikes to see what I can learn once it warms up but I was just wondering if the idea of drilling a few holes to allow more air to get to the K&N filter I plan to put on would accomplish something close to a new air cleaner kit. I read that the Stage 1 air cleaner kits do very little until you get to the 4500 - 5000 RPM range anyway and a higher flowing air filter was about all you need. I do very little cruising at that range anyway.

Along with the air filter or kit I will be doing pipes and a fuel manager to get to Stage 1 but I have no intentions of going further.

Why go through all that trouble, isn't the K&N Filter for the stock box at least 60 bucks. For another 40 you could have the Stage 1 kit....eBay Motors: ARLEN NESS BIG SUCKER AIR FILTER 4 HARLEY 00-08 18-505 (item 110317119706 end time Jan-23-09 09:57:05 PST)

 

[GliderDoug]

I hear ya wildspirit. Just my curious nature coming through on a cold day. I like to mess around a bit with this stuff and wondered what the new A/C kit did that I couldn't do with a drill.
Believe it or not I would also like to try taking the baffles out of the stock pipes to see what effect that has. I won't try that until I get more air to it and a fuel manager to pour in a bit more fuel but I might give it a shot.

 

[glider]

I would also like to try taking the baffles out of the stock pipes to see what effect that has. I won't try that until I get more air to it and a fuel manager to pour in a bit more fuel but I might give it a shot.

Do yourself a favor and save the stock pipes for the future when the EPA starts getting tough on us.

Many have tried it and they get louder but the sound is terrible.

A 2008 EG Classic runs up around 20K+, spend the $$$ and do it right.

 

[steve299]

I had the Dealer do the SE mufflers, Ac, and pro tuner, along with syn 3 and have noticed a big difference in power and heat

 

[GliderDoug]

glider - No problem with spending the money to "do it right". I've done that many times in the past however I'm in the middle of a long, cold winter and I like to learn about and try things to satisfy my curiousity.

steve - Happy to hear the Sporty is 'performin". I'm envious of anyone who can do a test drive this time of year.
You might want to do some research on Syn 3. For some unknown reason Harley is pushing oil from Venezuela and helping make Hugo Chavez rich. I would much rather use that so-called "dirty oil" produced in the Canadian Oil Sands!